Skirt-lifter



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY R. LUCAS, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

SKIRT-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,053, dated April 6, 1897.

Application fil d June 9, 1896. Serial No. 594,859. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARY R; LUCAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirt-Lifting Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a skirt-lifting device.

An object of the invention is to provide improvements in a belt having depending straps to be attached to and used in connection with a waterproof garment or mackintosh for elevatin g a ladys skirts and mackintosh and for regulating the same readily and with little inconvenience when desired.

A further object is to provide storm-boots for attachment and use in connection with the supporter, and, lastly, to provide receptacles or inside pockets in the mackintosh for the reception of the belt, straps, and stormboots when they are not in use.

For a full and complete understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein corresponding letters indicate like parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved mackintosh, partly broken away, illustrating the garment-supporter attached thereto ready for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the belt, supporters, and storm-boots stored away in inside receptacles on the mackintosh. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the belt, straps,ad j usting device, and storm-boots detached from the mackintosh. Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the depending straps and hooks, illustrating a preferred manner of attaching the hooks to the straps and the straps to the belt.

In the drawings, A refers to a mackintosh, cape removed, having apertures a a or armholes in the rear upper portion of the same.

a refers to a vertically-arranged strap attached to the rear of the mackintosh on the waist portion and between the armholes. At the right and left of these armholes and in the same horizontal plane with strap a are other vertical straps a a and slightly below and in front of these latter straps are pockets or receptacles B, in which the ends of the belt, the depending straps, and storm-boots are inserted when not in use, and when so placed are out of the way and are always conveniently at hand when needed.

The belt 0 is of an approved pattern and has a suitable buckle c at its front for regulating its size.

c c are suitable slots at intervals on the belt for the adjustment of the depending straps along thereon, as will hereinafter appear.

D are loops formed on the upper ends of the depending straps, which embrace the belt C. Upon the inner surface of these loops are secured buttons d which engage the slots 0' c in the belt to retain the straps in any desired position, as shown. The middle straps D are longer than the straps on each side thereof, and at their lower ends are provided with suitable devices cl for attaching the same to the upper ends of the storm-boots. (See Fig. 3.) Near the upper end of the straps D are rings d, forming guideways, for purposes hereinafter referred to.

Straps E are of similar construction to the straps D, except near their middle portions they are provided with. rings 6, and to these rings are secured short depending straps F, having safety-pins or similar devices f upon their lower ends and rings f near their middle portions, as shown. These latter straps are to be attached to the mackintosh near the bottom thereof, while the devices cl 6 on the lower ends of the straps D and E are secured to the bottom of the skirts after they have been adjusted to the proper height.

G represents cords for adjusting mackintosh and the skirts after the mackintosh has been put on from the front of the same. The rear ends of the cords G are secured to the rings f of the rear depending straps F, extend then upward through the rings 6, thence through the rings d, thence forward through rings e, at which points they are joined to shorter or branch cords g, the lower ends of which are secured to rings f of the forward straps F. Thence these cords G extend forward and pass from the inside through apertures H upon each side of the buckle and have enlarged ends g, which may be passed through the front of the mackintosh, so that the cords can be readily operated to raise the skirts of the dress or by proper adjustment for operating both.

It is evident that if the skirts are first secured in an elevated position at a distance of about one foot from the ground and the securing devices on the lower ends of the straps are then secured to the skirts and mackintosh, upon operating'the cords G and g the mackintosh can be first raised through the cords to the same elevation as the skirts, when the rings f will come in contact with rings 6. Then by continuing to pull the cords both the skirts and mackintosh will be simultaneously raised to any farther height desired, and the cords G on either side being independent of each other either side of the skirts and mackintosh may be operated by itself or both simultaneously.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A skirt-lifting device comprising a belt, having a securing device upon its front ends, slots, at regular intervals in the belt, depending straps, having loops at their upper ends and securing devices on their lower ends, means for securing and adjusting said straps along the belt, additional straps secured to the forward and rear straps, near their lower ends, securing devices attached to the lower ends of these straps, rings on the additional straps, midway of their length, adjustingcords secured, at their rear ends, to the rings on the additional rear straps, rings onthe depending straps through which these cords pass, apertures in the front of the belt, through which the cords are operated from the front,

substantially as described and set forth.

2. The combination in a skirt-lifting device, of a niackintosh having guide-straps upon the interior waist portion of the same, and pockets in front of said guide-straps, a belt passing through said guide-straps, depending straps adjustably secured on said belt, securing devices on the lower ends of said straps, additional straps attached to rings on the front and rear straps, rings intermediate of the same, adjusting-cords having their rear ends attached to the rings intermediate of the additional straps, and passing through guide-rings in the depending straps to and through guideways in the front of the belt, storm-boots attachable to the lower ends of the intermediate straps, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY R. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

G. B. LASBURY, T. F. F. HARTNELL. 

